Petunia's Promise

Summary

Petunia Dursely made herself a promise. There will be no wizards in her house. Set 6 months after Harry was left on the doorstep.

A/N This story was originally the last chapter of the story I was going to write about the eleven years that were the first wizard war with Voldemort, but many years have passed since I first thought of the idea. I wrote this back then because this is where I always planned to end the story, as I thought it would make a nice connecting chapter between the end of that war and the beginning of Harry's tale. I probably will never write the story that would have gone with this chapter (since it is very long…in my mind it's 6 "books" worth of chapters with each "book" spanning approximately 2 years), but I came across it while empting out some old files. I believe it stands well enough on its own.

Point of reference: This story takes place around 6 months after October 31, 1981. Harry is around 20-21 months old.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

Petunia's Promise

The bright spring sun shone down on number four, Privet Drive, where a young woman kneels bent over a small patch of earth under the windowsill. The woman digs in the fresh dirt and fills the hole with one of the few remaining plants, some young agapanthus', sitting beside her.

"Good morning, Petunia."

Petunia looks up from her gardening. "Good morning, Mrs. Figg," she says with a wave to the woman standing at the edge of the lawn. "How are you?"

"Very well, thank you," Mrs. Figg answers. "I'm just out for a little stroll," she reaches into her oversized bad and pulls out a ball of fluff. "I thought Mr. Tibbles and I could use some fresh air."

Petunia's nose wrinkled in dislike. "He's quite lovely," she said with mock sincerity.

"Isn't he," Mrs. Figg purrs as she gently scratches Mr. Tibbles behind the ear. "And he's come a long way too. Why six months ago he was scared of his own shadow."

"What happened?' Petunia asks thinking it polite to show some interest.

Mrs. Figg starts. She looks slightly cross with herself, as if she said something she shouldn't have. "Oh, just something that happened. Well, I should get going dear. You have a nice day."

Petunia watches Mrs. Figg hurry down the street and turn at the corner. Shaking her head she thinks, "What a strange woman."

Petunia planted the last of the agapanthus and clapped her hands together to removes the excess dirt before removing her gardening gloves. Standing up, she shakes the loose dirt from her dress and surveys the small plants under the window before turning to enter the house.

In the kitchen, Petunia washes her hands and glances up at the clock. A flicker of fear courses through her body, what would the neighbors think…what would Vernon say, but bracing herself against those thoughts a grim expression crosses her face. She had to know.

After carefully replacing the towel, she walks out of the kitchen and up the stairs. Sounds can be heard coming from two of the four bedrooms, but Petunia passes the first door and enters into the second.

This room is rather large, with a wide window letting in plenty of sunlight. The walls are decorated in a nursery fashion and toys litter the floor. A large, fat child with a patch of blond hair holds a toy car in his pudgy fist and throws it at the wall.

"How's mummy's dinky duddydums," Petunia coos reaching down and picking up the overly large toddler. "Did mummy's sweetums have a good nappy wappy."

The fat child with a tuft of blond hair looks up at his mother. "Hun-gee."

"Of course you are popkin," Petunia continues to coo. "Mummy will have you something to eat soon."

"Hun-gee now," the toddler yells throwing his fat fist in the air as Petunia carries the child out of the room. She pauses outside the first door, the child still throwing a fit in her arms, and reluctantly opens it.

Inside, this room is much smaller than the other and there are no toys littering the floor. In fact, there are no toys at all, expect an old teddy bear with one missing eye and patches of fur rubbed off. Petunia stares down at the child in this room, a small black haired boy with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt on his forehead. The child stares up at her with vibrant green eyes.

"Well come on," Petunia says down to the boy, before turning and leaving. "And stay out of Dudley's room." The boy stands up and follows her out of the room.

At the bottom of the stairs, Petunia carries Dudley to the kitchen but stops at the sound of something falling down the stairs. She turns and watches as the other boy falls down the steps, except the boy isn't really falling. It appears like he is bouncing down the steps and at the bottom he turns and bounces a few more times, resting at her feet.

Her eyes wide in horror, Petunia stares down at the boy who's laughing on the floor. "Again! Again!" yells Dudley in her arms clapping his hands. Petunia reaches down and roughly pulls the boy to his feet. "Don't ever do that again!" The boy stops laughing and stares up at her. "You are not allowed to do that in my house!"

Tears begin to fill the boy's green eyes and he sniffles. Dudley begins to wail in his mother's arms, and the sound causes the boy to voice his own fear.

"It's okay popkin," Petunia comforts Dudely, releasing the other child. "It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong. Mummy's not mad at you." Petunia looks from Dudley to the other boy and shakes her head. "Come on," she coos to Dudley, "let's get you something to eat."

Petunia carries Dudley into the kitchen and set him down at the table. Rummaging through the refrigerator, she removes some of Dudley's favorite snacks and gives them to him. Dudley immediately stops crying and begins to eat.

Petunia ruffles Dudley's hair in a loving way and leaves him to eat his goodies. She returns to the hall, where the small boy sits still crying. He gazes up at her, his eyes red and leaking tears. Petunia closes her eyes briefly before stooping to pick the child up. "You can't do that," she tells him calmly but firmly as she carried him to the table and sits him down. She gathers a snack for the boy and watches as he calms down and begins to eat.

Petunia stands and watches the two toddlers eat. Her mind races with thoughts and images, memories she's tried to forget and indeed had forgotten until this boy was left unceremoniously on her doorstep. She is awoken from her memories by the sound of the doorbell.

Petunia glances up at the clock and takes a deep breath. "This is it," she thinks going to answer the door.

"Hello," the strange man says standing in the doorway. He wears a sharp suit and wouldn't look out of place if not for the long silver beard. "You must be Petunia. It is a pleasure to meet you at last. My name is Albus Dumbledore." Petunia stares at him, words momentarily leaving her. "I must say," Dumbledore continues in a polite manner, "you did a lovely job planting the agapanthus, or more commonly called the Lily of the Nile."

"Yes, but they are not a lily," Petunia says finding her voice.

"True, very true." Dumbledore looks at Petunia, as if he is studying her. "I am here of course…"

"You might as well come inside," Petunia says moving to allow Dumbledore entry.

Dumbledore crosses the entryway and closes the door behind him. He glances around the picture perfect house, his shrewd eyes taking in every detail. He notices the abundance of pictures of a large, blond toddler and the lack of any signs another child lives here.

Petunia exits the kitchen carrying Dudley again and the smaller black-haired boy follows behind. "We might as well go into the sitting room," she says both addressing and not addressing Dumbledore.

Dumbledore waits for Petunia to enter the room first and watches as she gently places Dudley down. Dudley immediately begins to play with some toys on the floor and the other boy joins him. Dumbledore's eyes narrow a fraction of an inch at the scowl that crosses Petunia's face. "As I was saying…," he begins but Petunia interrupts him.

"I know why you are here," Petunia says coldly. "I wrote the letter asking you to come."

"Perhaps we should sit down," Dumbledore suggests gently. "This may take awhile to explain."

Petunia grimaces as if the thought of having this man she invited stay longer was troubling to her. She doesn't answer him as she crosses to a chair and sits. Dumbledore strides into the room and sits down across from her. "So," Petunia says before Dumbledore can say anything, "I suppose some of your lot are still working in the post office."

Dumbledore smiles gently are her. "Yes, we find it greatly helps if those of nonmagical means need to correspond."

"Like anyone would be willing to talk to a bunch of freaks," Petunia states harshly.

"You did," Dumbledore reminds her gently.

"I'm beginning to regret that decision," Petunia replies.

Dumbledore considers the woman sitting across from him. He knows very little about her, with the minor exception of one letter many years ago begging him to allow her to attend Hogwarts, and the overheard snippets of Lily stating they had a falling out, he knows next to nothing about her. Everything he heard since Lily and James' death has come third hand, from Remus Lupin, and Dumbledore wanted to judge for himself. Unfortunately, all evidence so far suggests that Remus may have been right. "I believe you requested my presence for a particular reason."

Petunia glares at him. Dumbledore allows the silence to build, not wanting to pressure Petunia into talking. Afterall, falling out or not, Lily is/was Petunia's sister. She must still be coming to grips with Lily's death and the realization that they will never make amends. It would be only natural for Petunia to be angry.

"Yes, I did," Petunia finally says before allowing the silence to fall again.

"I left a detailed letter explaining what happened," Dumbledore says trying to move the conversation along.

"That letter didn't explain anything," Petunia says heatedly. "You think leaving a letter telling me my sister is dead, that her husband is also, and that my nephew is the sole survivor is enough."

"There was more to the letter…" Dumbledore begins.

"What," Petunia shouts. "A few lines about the deaths and a few more explaining how Harry will need to stay with me…and things about enchantments…charms…and other gibberish. Vernon was nearly beside himself, demanding some sort of answer."

Dumbledore waited as Petunia collected herself. "I suppose you want to know how Lily…"

"Did she suffer?"

Dumbledore stopped short. He peered closely at Petunia, who was no longer looking at him. Her gaze fell to the toddlers playing happily on the floor and unshed tears sparkled in her eyes. Dumbledore understood that Petunia didn't care about how Lily died, or perhaps that is too crass. It wasn't so much she didn't care as it was knowing exactly how her sister died would not bring her back. Petunia didn't want to know how her sister died, she wanted know whether or not she suffered.

"No," Dumbledore replies comfortingly. "The curse that killed Lily Potter does not allow time for suffering. She died quickly."

Petunia nodded, never taking her eyes off the children. Dumbledore waits patiently for Petunia to recompose herself. "This is all your fault," Petunia seethes, looking back at him with hatred. "You and your lot. You took her away, taught her at that freak place you call a school, and you got her killed." She walks from the kitchen counter to the entryway of the living room. With her back to him, she continues, "If you just would have left her be, she would still be alive."

"Lily was a strong, brilliant, and brave woman," Dumbledore says, refusing to address Petunia's accusations. "The wizarding world was at war, and she couldn't stand by and let those she cared about die."

"No, she merely died in their place," Petunia whispers looking back at the children.

Dumbledore bows his head. After a moment, in which he collects his thoughts, he continues. "Lily stood between Lord Voldemort and her son…"

"He's like her, isn't he," Petunia states cutting across Dumbledore. She stares down at Harry and Dudley, watching them as they play. "Just as abnormal; just as strange."

The words hang in the air as Dumbledore watches Petunia closely. After a few moments, he breaks the silence. "There is nothing strange or abnormal about being a wizard, but yes, Harry is one."

Petunia' back stiffens. "There is nothing normal about causing strange things to happen." She turns to face Dumbledore, her expression hard and her voice cold. "Why bring him here. Surely my sister would have named someone to care for the boy."

"Harry's godfather is unable to care for him," Dumbledore begins, "and while there may be many varying wizarding families willing to take Harry in and raise him as a son, he is safer here."

"What do you mean he's safer here?" Petunia asks alarmed.

"Harry is still in great danger," Dumbledore replies gravely.

"What do you mean?" Petunia asks. "Your letter said the …being… responsible has gone."

"Indeed he has, but he still has followers," Dumbledore explains. "Lord Voldemort had many witches and wizards who followed him, some even worse than he."

"Are you telling me," Petunia says, her voice rising as her emotions flutter between shock, rage, and fear, "that there are others."

"Yes," Dumbledore replies calmly. "Wizards have been engaged in a war for eleven years…"

"I know that," Petunia spits out. Dumbledore waits as she takes a deep calming breath. "These followers of his, they want to kill the boy."

Dumbledore notices again the refusal to use Harry's name, and it leaves him with a sense of unease. "It is possible, yes. The Ministry of Magic is currently tracking down Lord Voldemort's followers, but many are proving elusive."

"I see," Petunia says quietly. "That changes everything then. You can take the boy and leave my house." Petunia points to the door to emphasis her words.

"So, you will allow your nephew, Lily's son, to leave the best protection he can ever have against Lord Voldemort and his followers," Dumbledore says with disgust. "Your sister died protecting him, and you will just throw him to the wolves."

"I will not…I cannot have wiz…you people in my house," Petunia retorts defiantly. "I will not allow it. I won't allow my family to get mixed up with Lily's lot."

"You disgust me," Dumbledore states, fury raging through. "You care not for the danger your nephew is in, you care not for your sister…as long as you can continue with the illusion that there is no other world than the one you inhabit. Your sister died to protect Harry, and you won't even allow him a room."

"I will not have you people in my house," Petunia says stubbornly but unease crosses her face, one that does not go missed by Dumbledore.

"You invited me here," Dumbledore reminds her.

"A mistake," Petunia says. "One I will not repeat."

Dumbledore sighs heavily. It would seem a different approach would be necessary, as shaming Lily's sister would not work. "What do you think will happen to you and your family once the Death Eaters realize Harry Potter was here? Do you believe they will leave you alone? I assure you they won't."

Petunia stares at Dumbledore, her eyes wide with fear. "Death….Death Eaters. Wha…what do you mean?" she whispers.

"The Death Eaters, the name by which Lord Voldemort's most dangerous followers call themselves, will know that Harry was brought here. In fact, they already know," Dumbledore answers.

"All…ready…know," Petunia whispers with increasing fear.

"Yes," Dumbledore continues. "What happened in Godric's Hollow is not a secret. The entire wizarding world knows what happened, that Lily and James are dead, Lord Voldemort disappeared, and Harry survived. Some Death Eaters have been looking for Harry every day since then, yet they have been unsuccessful."

Petunia stares at Dumbledore, her face white with fear. "Understand some of this is because of the enchantments and charms I placed around your home. These spells offer not only Harry protection but you and your family as well."

"W…why do we need protecting?" Petunia whispers. "Is it because of him?" She glares down at the dark-haired boy playing with a set of blocks.

"Partially," Dumbledore answers truthfully. "However, it doesn't matter if Harry is here or not. More accurately, it wouldn't matter if I ever arranged for Harry to be brought her. As Lily's last remaining family member, indeed the only family Harry has as James' parents are dead and he had no siblings, the Death Eaters would have came calling. It follows logic that Harry would be brought to his last remaining family member, and they would have killed your entire family to get to him."

"But…but if you took him away," Petunia says hopefully.

"Then the remaining Death Eaters that have survived capture will come," Dumbledore states. "It has been six months since Lily and James died, six months since Lord Voldemort fell from power, and most everyone knows where Harry is."

Petunia swallows. "Then, why haven't any come."

"The enchantments," Dumbledore answers. "The enchantments, charms, and protective spells I placed around your home to protect not only Harry but you and your family. But even with these spells in place, I cannot duplicate the most powerful protection offered."

Confusion crosses Petunia's face. Enchantments, charms, and spells were words she not only refused to use but firmly believed should never have entered the English language. Torn between outrage over the fact that Dumbledore used these things to protect them and a small measure of gratitude that these Death Eaters cannot find her family because of them leaves her speechless. Licking her lips she asks, "What protection?"

Dumbledore looks into Petunia's eyes. "I explained this in the letter I left you. Lord Voldemort committed a great evil. In his attempt to murder a defenseless child, he murdered the child's entire family. That alone is evil enough. However, something strange happened."

"What?"

Dumbledore considered Petunia for a moment. This question was asked by many in the wizarding world, and he refused to answer them all. The dangers of telling Petunia were many, but the chances of anyone from the wizarding world questioning her were slim. She is a muggle and knows nothing of the wizarding world. Weighing his options, and needing Petunia to continue to consent to Harry remaining in her care, he decided to tell her the truth…or at least enough of the truth to satisfy her.

"For reasons known only to him, Lord Voldemort did not seek to murder your sister. Because he did not intend to kill her, and because Lily threw herself between Lord Voldemort and Harry, Lily cast a powerful protection. Lord Voldemort murdered Lily to get to her son and found he could not kill him." Dumbledore saw the reaction of his words in Petunia's eyes, for she remained perfectly still.

"Lily…Lily didn't have to die," Petunia whispers.

"Lord Voldemort did not set out to kill her," Dumbledore says. "Whether she needed to die or not is of little importance, since I think we both can agree that Lily could never live with herself if she allowed her son to die. However her death is of great importance. Because she acted as a shield between Lord Voldemort and Harry, her death cast a powerful protective charm over Harry…one much more powerful than even I could produce. It is this, more than anything, which prevents the Death Eaters from hurting Harry."

Petunia sits in silence, weighing Dumbledore's words. Dumbledore allowed the minutes to stretch, giving Petunia time to process the meaning of what he said. After a few minutes Petunia addresses him. "You are offering me and my family the same protection, as long as I allow the boy to stay here."

"Yes," Dumbledore agrees. "As long as Harry is allowed to call this house his home, then he and your family are protected from the Death Eaters. I should warn you though, Lord Voldemort will be back."

"Back?" Petunia questions. "How can he come back? I thought he died."

"Something strange happened in Godric's Hollow that night," Dumbledore explains. "Harry survived a curse that no other person, wizard or muggle, as ever survived. While Lord Voldemort appears to have died, there was no body found. If Harry was able to survive the curse, there remains a chance that Lord Voldemort could survive it as well. It is my firm belief that he did survive and he will return."

Petunia turns a sickly white. "When?"

"I cannot say," Dumbledore. "It might be in a year, ten, or twenty, but he will return. The only protection that will work when he returns is that which Lily cast. This protection works only as long as Harry remains with a relative who share his mother's blood. In other words, you."

"Me," Petunia parrots.

"Yes," Dumbledore nods. "As Harry's last remaining relative, you are necessary for Lily's protection to last. If you turn Harry out, he will be in grave danger when Lord Voldemort returns."

"And so will my family," Petunia states with a hard look.

"Your family will be better protected with Harry living here," Dumbledore replies. "As long as both you and Harry share the same house, then Lord Voldemort and his followers will be unable to harm you."

Silence falls between them again. Dumbledore waits, knowing Petunia must willingly allow Harry to stay; he gives her all the time she needs. The sound of the grandfather clock chiming catches Petunia's attention. "Vernon will be home soon," she says alarmed. "He cannot find you here. You need to leave."

Dumbledore watches Petunia curiously as she stands and tried to hurry him along. "I understand," he says standing up. "But before I leave, do I have you word that you will continue to allow Harry to live here."

"Yes, yes," Petunia hurries, "now just go."

Petunia rushes Dumbledore to the door and holds it open expecting him to leave. Dumbledore pauses before exiting. "I have your word that Harry will be allowed to live here."

"Yes," Petunia says impatiently. "Just go."

Dumbledore does not move. "I have your word that no matter what happens Harry will still have a room."

"I said yes," Petunia states fear and annoyance laced in her voice.

"Very well," Dumbledore says. "I will hold you to your word." Petunia's eyes widen at the thinly veiled threat. "I hope you will treat Harry as a son."

Dumbledore walks past Petunia and down the walkway. He hears the door slam shut behind him as he continues to walk away from number four, Privet Drive. At the corner he pauses and turns to look back. A small frown creases his eyebrows and his face is set in a grim expression. "Good luck Harry," he whispers before turning and disappearing into nothingness.

Inside, Petunia walks back into the sitting room and carefully watches the boys on the floor. Harry and Dudley play together and Dudley steals one of the blocks Harry was playing with. Her eyes narrow as the block disappears from Dudley's grasp and reappears on top of the tower Harry was building.

"I will not allow a wizard in my house," Petunia mutters under her breath. "We'll stomp this abnormality right out of him…that's exactly what Vernon and I will do."

Petunia leaves the children and walks into the kitchen to make dinner, still muttering to herself. "After all, if that other world is trying to kill him, then the only way to protect him is to make sure he has nothing to do with it."

Petunia sets out pots and begins to cut vegetables. The sound of her chopping reinforces her stance. "That's the only way to protect him." She empties the vegetables into the pot and a vision of Lily flits into her mind.

"I'll protect him as I couldn't protect you," Petunia promises into the empty air.